Vietnam's number one goalie signs $1M deal to join rookie club

Lam signed a contract with the club's management on Monday, head coach Nguyen Viet Thang told VnExpress on Tuesday. "We are delighted to have a top goalkeeper, which gives the club a slight advantage in the upcoming season as we aim for promotion to the V-League."

The contract between Lam and V. League 2 rookie Thanh Nien HCMC FC spans four years, with a total value of VND27.2 billion (US$1.08 million), half of which he will receive upfront. Lam is currently resolving his contract with Binh Dinh FC before joining Thanh Nien HCMC FC in training.

Goalkeeper Dang Van Lam in Vietnam's 3-2 win over the Philippines at the second round of 2026 World Cup qualifiers in My Dinh Stadium, Hanoi, June 6, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

Lam, 31, has been Vietnam's top goalkeeper for the past eight years. He has been the starting goalkeeper for the national team since 2018, winning the 2018 AFF Cup, reaching the quarter-finals of the 2019 Asian Cup, and advancing to the 2022 World Cup third qualifiers. It was not until late 2023 that Lam's place in goal was challenged, when fellow naturalized goalkeeper Nguyen Filip returned from Europe and began playing domestically.

Having trained at two prestigious Russian academies, Spartak Moscow and Dinamo Moscow, Lam initially struggled to find his place in Vietnamese football.

He joined Hoang Anh Gia Lai in 2010 but was loaned to Hoang Anh Attapeu FC in Laos. He then returned to Russia to play for two lower-tier clubs, Duslar and Rodina Moscow.

In 2015, he joined Vietnam's Hai Phong FC, where it took him over a year to secure the starting position.

In 2019, Hai Phong earned $500,000 from Lam’s transfer to Thai club Muangthong United. Two years later, he became the first Vietnamese player to play in J-League 1 with Cerezo Osaka. In August 2022, Lam returned to Vietnam to play for Binh Dinh FC.

Thanh Nien HCMC FC, formerly the youth team of Ho Chi Minh City, played in the Second Division before securing promotion to V. League 2 in June. Setting their eyes on another promotion, they have appointed former Vietnam national team assistant Nguyen Viet Thang as head coach. The club have also boosted their squad with many experienced national players such as Do Thanh Thinh, Do Van Thuan, Trinh Duc Loi, Le Ngoc Bao, Nguyen Huu Tuan, Dinh Thanh Binh, Le Minh Binh, Nguyen Duc Viet, and Pham Gia Hung.

The 2024 - 2025 V. League is expected to feature 12 teams. However, due to late registrations, the organizers were forced to postpone the draw. Some teams are facing difficulties and have yet to confirm their participation.